Facebook's headcount has swelled from 700 employees in late 2008 to more than 3,000 today. Given its generous use of equity-based compensation in past years, people familiar with Facebook say that even by conservative estimates there are likely to be well over a thousand people looking at million-dollar-plus paydays after the company goes public.

External LinksFDA approves Kalydeco to treat rare form of cystic fibrosisCystic Fibrosis Canada(Note:CBC does not endorse and is not responsible for the content of external links.)The first drug that treats the root cause of cystic fibrosis has won approval in the U.S., offering a life-changing treatment for a handful of patients with the deadly illness and broader hope for thousands more patients with the inherited disease.

About 30,000 Americans live with cystic fibrosis, a disease that causes sticky mucus buildup in the lungs and other organs, leading to infections, digestive problems and death in young adulthood. The typical life expectancy is about 37 years, according to the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation.

Daily treatments for cystic fibrosis include inhaled medications and a chest-vibrating vest to clear airway clogs. (Michael Brody/Associated Press)The U.S. Food and Drug approved Vertex Pharmaceuticals Inc.'s Kalydeco for patients with a rare form of the disease that affects just 1,200 people in the U.S., about 4 per cent of affected population nationwide.

These patients have a protein defect that prevents their cells from properly absorbing and excreting salt and water. Studies of the drug showed it significantly improved lung function and reduced other symptoms of cystic fibrosis.

"Even though this drug isn't for the majority of people, it proves that you can look at the mistake in the genes and design a drug in a rational way that will fix the problem," said Dr. Drucy Borowitz of the State University of New York at Buffalo, where she directs the cystic fibrosis program.

The twice-a-day pill is among the first drugs designed to a correct a specific genetic defect. Its development characterizes both the promise and challenges of that approach.

Lungs strengthenedScientists first identified the gene that causes cystic fibrosis in 1989, but it took more than two decades and more than $75 million US in outside funding to develop a drug to treat the disease.

Borowitz enrolled several of her patients in the key study for Kalydeco, which showed that patients taking the drug increased their lung strength more than 10 per cent when compared with patients taking a placebo. Patients also had fewer infections and gained nearly seven pounds on average, a significant amount for patients who typically have trouble retaining weight.

All patients in the study continued taking older medications that help loosen mucus.

"Two weeks after using the drug my lung tests were above average for a healthy 15-year-old who didn't have cystic fibrosis," said Nick Mangano, 17, a Borowitz patient who has been taking the drug for two years. Before starting on Kalydeco, Mangano said he was hospitalized for lung infections five times in four years. Now he says he usually recovers from a cold within a week or two.

"I don't really need medicine for it anymore, it's totally different," said Mangano, who is considering leaving Buffalo for college next year — a step he hadn't previously considered because of his dependence on his family and physicians.

Only a few decades ago, children with cystic fibrosis seldom survived elementary school. Today, thanks to earlier diagnosis and new focus on diet and physical therapy, 47 per cent live to be 18 or older.

The FDA approved the drug for patients 6 years old and up, though Vertex is also planning to study the drug in patients as young as 2 years old. Researchers hope that by using the drug earlier they will be able to prevent permanent lung damage, which is the primary cause of death for cystic fibrosis patients.

Mangano and others with the so-called G551D mutation have a defective protein that fails to balance the flow of chloride and water across the cell wall, leading to the buildup of internal mucus. The vast majority of cystic fibrosis patients have a different genetic defect, in which the protein does not reach the cell membrane.

Vertex is developing another drug to try and address that problem. Study data for that drug is expected later this year.

The most common side-effects with Kalydeco include headache, stomach ache, rash diarrhea and dizziness.

While the rest of us, loses out .... this all becomes something that Wall Street itself benefits from, while Main Street gets kicked to the curb by even Mark Zuckerberg himself. He's showing his true colors.TechCrunch | Facebook Files For $5 Billion IPO

Congratulations on the historic IPO of Facebook, Mark!! ^M^ It is a huge success!! Keep up the good work!! I believe that with more innovative ideas and features, Facebook has unlimited potentials for business, entertainment, education,and politics...etc. As a frequent user of Facebook, I am so proud of its accomplishments!! :))Mark Zuckerberg's Photos

Shoutouts to all of the suckers that get stuck with Facebook stock when it implodes! Google has 10x Facebook's earnings and this IPO puts FB's value at 60% of GOOG? To whoever thinks that makes sense... one of us is insane. But! While you're throwing around money I have a beachfront house in Colorado for sale? And this bridge in Brooklyn featuring classical architecture? Lemme know...

I really torn by the implications of the Facebook IPO. My college friend Max Eulert posted this as his status: "ANNOUNCEMENT: Due to the upcoming IPO for Facebook, I am going to close my Facebook account. Sure, this place has advertising already, but once the shareholders have a stake in it, they will pressure the company to make even bigger and bigger profits. I realize I am the product being sold here, but at some point you have to say, "Thanks, but no thanks." If any of you want to remain in contact with me, I am also on Google+. Or message me here and I will get you my email address. So long, and thanks for all the fish!" Hmm, what to do... So many of you I only connect through this venue.

I'm not an investing genius, but why would you buy FaceBook stock? FaceBook is at the top of its game. It's not like when Google went public when most people didn't know what a Google was and then became the juggernaut it is today. Now if you bought Google stock back in the day - I bow to you.

Aside from Facebook filing for IPO, all the tech buzz today has been around Pinterest. We have been toying around with the idea of creating a Pinterest account and possibly even using the site for contests. What do you guys think? Are you avid "pinners" or do you even know what the hype is all about?Infographic of the Day: what is Pinterest?

I read that Facebook is awash of money.. That is strange because the absolute majority of Facebook users do not want to buy anything here. One of my friends even blocked me for mentioning CDs available for purchasing from a web site. I do not believe advertising brings much profit because everybody is ignoring ads.Facebook shoots for $5 billion in mega-IPO

Our efforts to protect the information that our users have chosen to share using Facebook may be unsuccessful due to the actions of third parties, software bugs or other technical malfunctions, employee error or malfeasance, or other factors. In addition, third parties may attempt to fraudulently induce employees or users to disclose information in order to gain access to our data or our users’ data. If any of these events occur, our users’ information could be accessed or disclosed improperly. Our Data Use Policy governs the use of information that users have chosen to share using Facebook and how that information may be used by third parties. Some Platform developers may store information provided by our users through apps on the Facebook Platform or websites integrated with Facebook. If these third parties or Platform developers fail to adopt or adhere to adequate data security practices or fail to comply with our terms and policies, or in the event of a breach of their networks, our users’ data may be improperly accessed or disclosed. Any incidents involving unauthorized access to or improper use of the information of our users could damage our reputation and our brand and diminish our competitive position. In addition, the affected users or government authorities could initiate legal or regulatory action against us in connection with such incidents, which could cause us to incur significant expense and liability or result in orders or consent decrees forcing us to modify our business practices. Any of these events could have a material and adverse effect on our business, reputation, or financial results.